IT WAS like watching the end of an era as the lights slowly dimmed and the music faded at the end of the last dance held at the Tower Ballroom.

The evening was tinged with sadness for the 1,000 dancers who had been stepping out at the Birmingham dance hall for the past few decades.

Because as the Last Night at the Locarno event drew to a close early today, the revellers knew that 'time' would be called on the historic ballroom in just two weeks.

I felt as if I was watching a piece of Birmingham's history disappear as scores of fifty-somethings filled the dancefloor to say so-long to the ballroom.

This was the place where friendships were forged, couples met for the first time and light-footed dancers strutted their stuff through the forties, fifties, sixties and seventies.

But the dance hall that has stood on the banks of Edgbaston reservoir for more than 70 years will close at the end of the year when it is demolished to make way for 90 new homes.

The club's last night will be held on New Year's Eve but it felt as if this nostalgic event really was a last goodbye for so many people.

Some so eager to relive their memories that they took to the dancefloor at 7.30pm and stayed there 'til 12.30am.

As I snaked through the packed dancefloor, couples talked about their first dance at the club, people searched for long-lost friends in the crowd and stories of fun nights out at the Tower rang out.

The event was held to mark the end of the Tower Ballroom and The Locarno in Hurst Street, and the reminiscent look on revellers' faces remained through the five-and-a-half hour dance - some close to tears.

Dave Berry and the Cruisers, The Fortunes, Marmalade and The Searchers headed up the farewell line-up and gave the venue a great send-off.

Starting off as an roller skating rink in the 1870s, turning into a dance hall in the 1920s, The Tower Ballroom means so much to so many people.

And none less than the scores of more mature fans, wondering where they will be able to share a dance from now on.